Small survival-promoting/immunomodulatory peptide for treatment of brain damage, neurodegenerative disorders, and inflammatory disorders

ABSTRACT

A synthetic peptide sequence demonstrating neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory functions is disclosed. Methods of use for the synthetic peptide are also provided.

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application60/426,536, filed Nov. 15, 2002, the entire contents of which areincorporated herein by reference.

Pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §202(c), is acknowledged that the U.S. Governmenthas certain rights in the invention described, which was made in partwith funds from NIH grant number NS16347, from the National Institute ofNeurological Disorders and Stroke.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a composition of matter comprising asmall peptide, for promoting neurite outgrowth/enhancing survival ofneuronal cells, and/or inhibiting phospholipase A2; to a pharmaceuticalpreparation containing the small peptide; and to its use in thetreatment of neuron damage, neurodegenerative disorders, and neuronaland non-neuronal disorders with an inflammatory component.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Several publications and patent documents are cited in this applicationin order to more fully describe the state of the art to which thisinvention pertains. The disclosure of each of these citations isincorporated by reference herein.

Neurotrophic factors are considered to be vital for normal developmentof the nervous system. During development, neuronal target structuresproduce limited amounts of specific neurotrophic factors necessary forboth the survival and differentiation of neurons projecting into thestructures. The same factors have been found to be involved in thesurvival and/or maintenance of mature neurons.

A neurotrophic factor is defined as a substance capable of increasingand/or maintaining survival of a neuron population, and possiblyaffecting outgrowth of neurites (neuron processes) and certain othermetabolic activities of a neuron. Neurotrophic factors are generallydescribed as soluble molecules synthesized in the peripheral targets ofneurons and transported to their cell bodies, where they exert theireffects.

Studies with isolated neurotrophic factors have shown that exogenouslyadded neurotrophic factors can exert their neurotrophic effects uponcultured neurons in vitro, or by administration to damaged ordegenerated neurons in vivo. For this reason, various neurotrophicfactors have received great attention as potential therapeutic agentsfor treatment of degenerative diseases of the central nervous system, aswell as traumatic damage to the CNS. For example, nerve growth factor(NGF) has been shown to increase the survival, function and regenerationof cholinergic neurons in the basal forebrain. Degeneration of thispopulation of cholinergic neurons has been associated with patientshaving Alzheimer's disease, and could be the primary neuronal defectresponsible for the loss of cognitive function associated withAlzheimer's disease. NGF has been found to be synthesized and releasedfrom the target areas of these cholinergic neurons in the hippocampusand neurocortex, both areas of the brain associated with learning andmemory. See Springer, J. E., Drug News and Perspectives, 4: 394-99(1991). As another example, a dopaminergic neurotrophic factor (DNTF)has been purified and characterized, and found to promote survival andneurite outgrowth of dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra. DNTFis considered a potentially valuable therapeutic agent for the treatmentof Parkinson's disease which involves degeneration of dopaminergic motorneurons of the central nervous system (U.S. Pat. No. 5,215,969 toSpringer et al., 1993).

It can be seen from the foregoing examples that neurotrophic factors area valuable source of therapeutic agents for the treatment of neurondamage and neurodegenerative disease. However, the development of suchfactors as therapeutic agents can be problematic. For example, it isdifficult to determine the specificity of an endogenous neurotrophicagent, i.e., whether different factors exist for different nervoussystem pathways, and which neuron populations in those pathways areaffected by a factor. In fact, many identified neurotrophic agents havebeen shown to have a wide range of biological functions, acting on bothcentral and peripheral neurons, as well as non-neuronal cells in vitro(e.g., polypeptide growth factors and ciliary neurotrophic factor,CNTF). In the central nervous system, with its complex interconnectionsand heterogeneous neuron types, it is difficult to determine whichneurotrophic factors are effective on a particular neuronal population.This difficulty is further exacerbated by the fact that many of theneurotrophic factors that have been characterized have been found to beclosely related to one another. For example, it is now known that NGFpossesses amino acid sequence homology to brain-derived neurotrophicfactor (BNDF), a protein with similar, but not identical, in vitroproperties as NGF (Barde et al., EMBO J., 1: 549-53, 1982; Leibrock etal., Nature, 341: 149-52, 1989). In fact, NGF, BNDF and the neurotrophin(NT) series have been classified as members of a superfamily ofneurotrophic factors (NGF superfamily). Because of their similarity inamino acid sequence (and hence nucleotide sequences encoding thefactor), it has been difficult to develop nucleic acid or antibodyprobes that are specific for a particular member of the family. The lackof a specific means for identifying a particular neurotrophic factor hashindered the elucidation of particular neuronal populations affected bya specific factor.

An additional obstacle to developing neurotrophic factors as therapeuticagents for treatment of damaged neurons is that few in vivo models existto study the survival-promoting activity of these factors in the centralnervous system. In order to develop a neurotrophic factor as aneffective therapeutic agent for the treatment of neuron degeneration, itis important to be able to determine where in the central nervous systemthe neurotrophic factor operates, whether the treatment with exogenousneurotrophic factor is effective, and the concentration of neurotrophicfactor effective for imparting a therapeutic effect. Such an objectivewould best be accomplished with a neurotrophic factor that isidentifiable and distinct from other factors, that is capable ofexerting an effect on many different neuron populations, and for whichin vivo models are available to test the efficacy of the neurotrophicfactor on a specific neuron population.

The neuron survival-promoting peptide Y-P30 was originally identified inthe secretions of neural cells (neuroblastoma and retinoblastoma)subjected to oxidative stress (Cunningham, et al. 1998). Partiallypurified fractions of conditioned culture medium were screened in vitrountil the active Y-P30 peptide was identified—the synthetic version ofthis peptide was then tested in vitro and in vivo and found to supportneural cells which were degenerating for a variety of reasons, includingoxidative stress and central nervous system trauma (Cunningham, et al.1998; 2000). This peptide was later confirmed to be part of anendogenous human polypeptide (˜12 kiloDaltons) named DSEP afteridentification of the human cDNA encoding DSEP and the locus of the DSEPgene in human chromosomal region 12q (Cunningham, et al. 2002). In thatstudy, it was found that overexpression of the full length polypeptidein neural cells made them resistant to several forms of oxidative stressincluding that resulting from immune cell attack.

The contribution of inflammatory cells and their secretions to celldeath after CNS injury or in neurodegenerative disorders is for the mostpart well established (Stoll, 1998). The principal immune cellparticipants in the response to traumatic CNS injury are monocytederivatives (microglia/macrophages). These cells are the source of anumber of inflammatory agents that may contribute to neuron death,including superoxide anion, nitric oxide, IL-1β, and TNFα (reviewed byRothwell, et al 1996, Stoll et al 1998, Dander, et al 1998, 2000; andTurrin, et al 2001). TNFα is best known for its cytotoxic activityoutside the nervous system, but also has pronounced toxic activity onneural cells after brain injury (Barone, et al, 1997; Lavine, et al1998). Both overexpression of the full length DSEP molecule andapplication of Y-P30 inhibits the appearance and differentiation ofmacrophages and microglia (Cunningham et al. 1998, 2000, 2002).

Steroid anti-inflammatory drugs currently used to treat nervous systeminjury and other disorders with an inflammatory component operate inpart by stimulating the production of endogenous inhibitors ofphospholipases (A2) (PLA2) which are the enzymes responsible for theproduction of several lipid mediators of inflammation (Flower, R J etal. 1979). PLA2 enzymes and downstream participants in this pathway playa role in chronic neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer'sdisease (Farooqui A A, et al., 1999; Hull M, et al., 2002).

Therefore, a need exists in the art for identification and testing invivo of new neurotrophic factors which are distinct from other factors,exert an effect on many different neurons, and/or which can act as PLA2inhibitors, to facilitate the development of new therapies forneurodegenerative disorders and for other diseases with an inflammatorycomponent.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a synthetic peptide, CHEC-9, having the sequence of CHEASAAQC(SEQ ID NO: 1), or variants thereof, wherein the peptide promotes neuronsurvival, inhibits a brain's immune response to degenerating elements,and/or inhibits phospholipase A2. The peptide may be linear or cyclized.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a pharmaceutical preparation comprising the synthetic peptide,CHEC-9.

In another aspect of the invention, there is provided a nucleic acidencoding a synthetic peptide, CHEC-9, having the sequence of CHEASAAQC(SEQ ID NO: 1), or variants thereof.

In yet another embodiment of the invention, there is an antibody orfragment thereof which is immunologically specific for a syntheticpeptide, CHEC-9, having the sequence of CHEASAAQC (SEQ ID NO: 1), orvariants thereof.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a method for treating a patient having a neurodegenerativedisorder by administering to the patient a therapeutically effectiveamount of CHEC-9. Such neurodegenerative disorders include, but are notlimited to, (1) trauma, (2) stroke, (3) nonspecific anoxia (i.e., anoxiadue to drowning, suffocation, etc.), (4) neurodegenerative diseases suchas Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and amyotrophic lateralsclerosis (ALS); and (5) mental retardation syndromes associated withprogressive neuronal degeneration (e.g., cerebral palsies).

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a method for treating a patient having a disorder with aninflammatory component, by administering to the patient atherapeutically effective amount of CHEC-9. Such disorders include, butare not limited to, (1) asthma; (2) autoimmune disorders; (3) allergies;(4) arthritis; and (5) any disorder which might benefit from treatmentusing a steroid or a phospholipase A2 inhibitor.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, a kit isprovided which facilitates administering or testing for the CHEC-9peptide.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows increased survival of SY5Y neuroblastoma cells exposed toCHEC-9, following medium change and serum deprivation for 48 hrs. Thecells were seeded at low density in serum and changed to serum freemedium (with added CHEC-9 peptide or vehicle) after 2 hrs. Cell survivalwas measured with the WST electrocoupling reagent (Ocinda). The graph onthe left shows increased CHEC-9 concentration correlates with increasedcell survival. Three representative cultures from the 2 groups are shownin the panels on the right. Coomassie Blue stain. Bar=100 μm. (p valuebased on n=16 cultures for each condition in 2 separate experiments.)

FIG. 2 shows the coronal section through the cerebral cortex of ratsthat received stab wounds in area 3. The rats survived for 4 daysfollowing the lesion after which their brains were processed for cresylviolet staining or immunostaining with macrophage/microglia marker ED-1in adjacent sections (inset). The vehicle treated animal shows a typicalresponse to the lesion including a pronounced invasion of inflammatorycells and degeneration of cortical tissue. Systemic treatment withCHEC-9 inhibits both processes. Bar=1 mm.

FIG. 3 shows microglia cells which were purified from neonatal rats,activated with 100 nM retinoic acid (RA) on days 1 and 2 in vitro, andexamined on day 3 or 4. It is shown that TNFα immunoactivity is reducedin these cells that were treated with 1 nM CHEC-9 during the period ofRA activation.

FIG. 4 is a graph showing that percent concentrations ofmicroglia/macrophages at the dorsal and ventral margins of the lesions 4days after stab wounds to the parietal cortex of rats, are lower inanimals which were administered the CHEC-9 peptide. Near marginal orwhite matter layers, where ameboid cells appeared most consistently inboth groups, the number was reduced by 75% (N=6 in each group,p=4×10−3). Such cells are very sparse in the midportions of the lesionsafter peptide treatment.

FIGS. 5A-D show that CHEC-9 treatment inhibits PLA2 enzyme and relatedactivities. (A). CHEC-9 inhibition of phospholipase A2 from bee venom ismaximal within the first 2 min of the reaction at a variety of peptideconcentrations. (B). Representative Michaelis-Menton Plots plot using 5%serum samples from CHEC-9 and control-injected rats. The bottom plot isfrom a pair of rats in which one was injected with CHEC-9 and one with apeptide where the positions of glutamate and adjacent alanine wereswitched (CHAC-9). The dissociation constants are noted on the plots.(C). CHEC-9 treatment inhibits platelet aggregation. Platelets wereisolated from untreated rats and incubated with 0.1 nM CHEC-9 orequivalent tris solvent in HBSS (left graph), or from rats treated with100 μg CHEC-9 or vehicle (right graph). Rates of aggregation weredetermined over a period 5-30 minutes after addition of the indicatedconcentrations of PMA (** p<0.01, ***p<0.001. n=10 each in 2 directtreatment and 2 injection experiments). Micrographs of CHEC-9 andcontrol treated platelets at the end of one of the experiments areshown. Bar=100 μm. (D). CHEC-9 treatment results in atypical migrationof platelet sPLA2 IIa on SDS gels. Isolation and washing of plateletsprior to above analysis caused release of sPLA2 IIa which migrates, asexpected, with an apparent molecular weight of ˜14 kD on SDS gels rununder reducing conditions (lanes 1,3 control, treated). SPLA2 releasedfrom platelets treated with CHEC-9 either 100 μg injected into theanimal, (lane 2), or added directly (0.1 nM) to platelets isolated fromuntreated rats (lane 4) shows strong sPLA2 IIa bands that run withhigher apparent molecular weights. This suggests that treatment hadmodified the sPLA2 IIa enzyme structure and/or promoted the formation ofstabilized enzyme complexes or aggregates.

FIGS. 6A-C show that anti-YP30 antibody produces increased corticallesion size and sera toxicity. (A) Coronal sections through medial partof cerebral cortex seven days after a lesion in area 2 of rats immunizedagainst DSEP-KLH or KLH carrier protein. The lesions are made by placinga 1 mm³ piece of gelfoam on the cortical surface. There areaccumulations of cells at the margins of the lesions (large arrow andarrowheads) many of which are microglia/macrophages. At the 7 daysurvival, the lesions are considerably larger in rats immunized againstDSEP, as can be seen in the photomicrographs and graph of volumemeasurements from serial sections (p<0.001 at 7 days, n=9; n.s.d at 4days, n=6; A, B). Note also that the lesion in the anti-DSEP rat appearsto have expanded from the original boundaries (arrowheads) into theadjacent parenchyma and white matter leaving behind a large cyst. Bar=1mm. (C) Graph showing killing of SY5Y and HN33.1 cells by DSEP antisera.The cells were treated with 5% serum from rats immunized againstDSEP-KLH conjugate or KLH alone (protein concentrations wereequivalent). Viability was measured with the WST electrocoupling reagent72 hrs after treatment and expressed as a percentage of the controlvalue (anti-KLH). Cells treated with DSEP antisera degenerate whilethose treated with anti-KLH do not.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A nine amino acid peptide CHEASAAQC (SEQ ID NO: 1, designated CHEC-9 orCH-QC9) has been identified, synthesized and used to promote survival ofneural cells in vitro and in vivo, including after cerebral cortexinjury. The peptide rescues neurons that would usually shrink, die ordisintegrate following traumatic brain damage. Furthermore, the peptideposses demonstrable phospholipase A2 inhibitory activity, and thereforehas utility as a modulator of inflammation. A CHEC-9 peptide varianthaving the sequence CAHAQAESC also promotes survival of neural cells.

CHEC-9 constitutes an internal sequence of survival promoting peptideY-P30 (U.S. Pat. No. 6,262,024). CHEC-9 and Y-P30 are derived from a 12kiloDalton endogenous human protein, DSEP (GenBank Accession #AY044239,T. J. Cunningham, et al., 2002). CHEC-9 and Y-P30 differ from thesequence of DSEP in having a cysteine at position 23, instead of lysine.Like the larger peptides, CHEC-9 to promotes neuron survival andinhibits aspects of the immune response to cerebral cortex lesions, inparticular the appearance and invasion of macrophages and microglia atthe site of injury. Accordingly the peptide may be used for treatment ofdisorders involving acute neural degeneration (stroke and traumaticbrain damage), as well as for treatment of several chronicneurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's disease. In the latterapplications, CHEC-9 inhibits both neuron death and the brain's immuneresponse to degenerating elements, which should slow the progress ofthese disorders and attendant decline of behavioral performance.Additionally, CHEC-9 inhibits phospholipase A2, and thus may be used totreat disorders associated with inflammation.

A “CHEC-9 peptide” is a peptide having the sequence of CHEASAAQC (SEQ IDNO: 1). The peptide may be linear or cyclic. The term “CHEC-9 peptide”may include variants of SEQ ID NO:1, wherein as few as 1 or as many as 9amino acids are changed, provided that the peptide still promotes neuronsurvival, inhibits a brain's immune response to degenerating elements,and/or inhibits phospholipase A2. Variants may have mutations comprisinginsertions, deletions, or substitutions of amino acids. Variantspreferably comprise conservative amino acid substitutions.

A “conservative amino acid substitution” as defined herein refers toreplacement of an amino acid with a functionally and biochemicallyequivalent amino acid. These substitutions provide similar or enhancedfunction of a peptide. Functionally-equivalent amino acids are aminoacids which share a common structure, side chain, polarity, and soforth. Examples of amino acids which may be functionally equivalent are:

hydrophobic Ala, His, Ile, Leu, Met, Phe, Trp, Tyr, Val neutralhydrophilic Cys, Ser, Thr polar Asn, Gln, Ser, Thr acidic/negativelycharged Asp, Glu charged Arg, Asp, Glu, His, Lys basic/positivelycharged Arg, His, Lys basic Arg, Asn, Gln, His, Lys residues thatinfluence Gly, Pro chain orientation aromatic His, Phe, Trp, Tyr

An autoimmune disease is a disease which occurs when one or morecomponents of the immune system targets the cells, tissues, and/ororgans of a person's own body. Autoimmune diseases include, but are notlimited to Multiple sclerosis, Myasthenia gravis, Autoimmuneneuropathies such as Guillain-Barré, Autoimmune uveitis, InflammatoryBowel Disease (including Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative colitis) Primarybiliary cirrhosis, Autoimmune hepatitis, Type 1 or immune-mediateddiabetes mellitus, Autoimmune thyroid disease (including Grave's Diseaseand Hashimoto's thyroiditis), Autoimmune oophoritis and orchitis,Autoimmune disease of the adrenal gland, Autoimmune hemolytic anemia,Pernicious anemia, Autoimmune thrombocytopenia, Temporal arteritis,Anti-phospholipid syndrome, Vasculitides such as Wegener'sgranulomatosis, Behcet's disease, Rheumatoid arthritis, Systemic lupuserythematosus, Scleroderma, Polymyositis, dermatomyositis,Spondyloarthropathies such as ankylosing spondylitis, Sjogren'ssyndrome, Psoriasis, Dermatitis herpetiformis, Pemphigus vulgaris, andVitiligo.

I. Preparation of Human CHEC-9-Encoding Nucleic Acid Molecules, CHEC-9Peptides, and Antibodies Thereto

Nucleic Acid Molecules:

Nucleic acid molecules encoding CHEC-9 peptides of the invention may beprepared by two general methods: (1) synthesis from appropriatenucleotide triphosphates, or (2) isolation from biological sources. Bothmethods utilize protocols well known in the art. Preparation of anisolated nucleic acid molecule of the invention may be byoligonucleotide synthesis. The nucleic acid synthesized may be anycombination of codons which encode the CHEC-9 peptide. Syntheticoligonucleotides may be prepared by the phosphoramidite method employedin the Applied Biosystems 38A DNA Synthesizer or similar devices. Theresultant construct may be purified according to methods known in theart, such as high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).Alternatively, nucleic acid sequences encoding the CHEC-9 peptide may beisolated from appropriate biological sources using methods known in theart. Suitable probes for this purpose are derived from sequences whichencode the amino acids of CHEC-9.

In accordance with the present invention, nucleic acids having theappropriate level of sequence homology with the CHEC-9 peptide may beidentified by using hybridization and washing conditions of appropriatestringency. For example, hybridizations may be performed, according tothe method of Sambrook et al., Molecular Cloning, Cold Spring HarborLaboratory (1989), using a hybridization solution comprising: 5×SSC,5×Denhardt's reagent, 1.0% SDS, 100 μg/ml denatured, fragmented salmonsperm DNA, 0.05% sodium pyrophosphate and up to 50% formamide.Hybridization is carried out at 37-42° C. for at least six hours.Following hybridization, filters are washed as follows: (1) 5 minutes atroom temperature in 2×SSC and 1% SDS; (2) 15 minutes at room temperaturein 2×SSC and 0.1% SDS; (3) 30 minutes-1 hour at 37° C. in 1×SSC and 1%SDS; (4) 2 hours at 42-65° C. in 1×SSC and 1% SDS, changing the solutionevery 30 minutes.

One common formula for calculating the stringency conditions required toachieve hybridization between nucleic acid molecules of a specifiedsequence homology (Sambrook et al., 1989) is as follows:

T_(m)=81.5° C.+16.6 Log [Na+]+0.41(% G+C)−0.63(% formamide)−600/#bp induplex

As an illustration of the above formula, using [Na⁺]=[0.368] and 50%formamide, with GC content of 42% and an average probe size of 200bases, the T_(m) is 57° C. The T_(m) of a DNA duplex decreases by 1-1.5°C. with every 1% decrease in homology. Thus, targets with greater thanabout 75% sequence identity would be observed using a hybridizationtemperature of 42° C.

The stringency of the hybridization and wash depend primarily on thesalt concentration and temperature of the solutions. In general, tomaximize the rate of annealing of the probe with its target, thehybridization is usually carried out at salt and temperature conditionsthat are 20-25° C. below the calculated T_(m) of the hybrid. Washconditions should be as stringent as possible for the degree of identityof the probe for the target. In general, wash conditions are selected tobe approximately 12-20° C. below the T_(m) of the hybrid. In regards tothe nucleic acids of the current invention, a moderate stringencyhybridization is defined as hybridization in 6×SSC, 5×Denhardt'ssolution, 0.5% SDS and 100 μg/ml denatured salmon sperm DNA at 42° C.,and washed in 2×SSC and 0.5% SDS at 55° C. for 15 minutes. A highstringency hybridization is defined as hybridization in 6×SSC,5×Denhardt's solution, 0.5% SDS and 100 μg/ml denatured salmon sperm DNAat 42° C., and washed in 1×SSC and 0.5% SDS at 65° C. for 15 minutes. Avery high stringency hybridization is defined as hybridization in 6×SSC,5×Denhardt's solution, 0.5% SDS and 100 μg/ml denatured salmon sperm DNAat 42° C., and washed in 0.1×SSC and 0.5% SDS at 65° C. for 15 minutes.

Nucleic acids of the present invention may be maintained as DNA in anyconvenient cloning vector. In a preferred embodiment, clones aremaintained in a plasmid cloning/expression vector, such as pBluescript(Stratagene, La Jolla, Calif.), which is propagated in a suitable E.coli host cell.

CHEC-9-encoding nucleic acid molecules of the invention include cDNA,genomic DNA, RNA, and fragments thereof which may be single- ordouble-stranded. Thus, this invention provides oligonucleotides havingsequences capable of hybridizing with at least one sequence of a nucleicacid molecule of the present invention. As mentioned previously, sucholigonucleotides are useful as probes for detecting or isolating CHEC-9related nucleic acids.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that variants(e.g., allelic variants) of CHEC-9 sequences exist in the humanpopulation, and must be taken into account when designing and/orutilizing oligonucleotides of the invention. Accordingly, it is withinthe scope of the present invention to encompass such variants, withrespect to the CHEC-9 sequences disclosed herein or the oligonucleotidestargeted to specific locations on the respective genes or RNAtranscripts. Accordingly, the term “natural allelic variants” is usedherein to refer to various specific nucleotide sequences of theinvention and variants thereof that would occur in a human population.The usage of different wobble codons and genetic polymorphisms whichgive rise to conservative or neutral amino acid substitutions in theencoded protein are examples of such variants.

Additionally, the term “substantially complementary” refers tooligonucleotide sequences that may not be perfectly matched to a targetsequence, but such mismatches do not materially affect the ability ofthe oligonucleotide to hybridize with its target sequence under theconditions described.

Proteins:

CHEC-9 peptide, and functional variants thereof may be prepared in avariety of ways, according to known methods. The peptide may besynthesized using an automated peptide synthesizer. Alternatively, thepeptide may be purified from appropriate sources, e.g., transformedbacterial or animal cultured cells or tissues, by immunoaffinitypurification. The availability of nucleic acid molecules encoding CHEC-9peptide enables production of the peptide using in vitro expressionmethods known in the art. For example, a CHEC-9 encoding polynucleotidemay be cloned into an appropriate in vitro transcription vector, such aspSP64 or pSP65 for in vitro transcription, followed by cell-freetranslation in a suitable cell-free translation system, such as wheatgerm or rabbit reticulocyte lysates. In vitro transcription andtranslation systems are commercially available, e.g., from PromegaBiotech, Madison, Wis. or Gibco-BRL, Gaithersburg, Md.

Alternatively, larger quantities of CHEC-9 peptides may be produced byexpression in a suitable prokaryotic or eukaryotic system. For example,part or all of a DNA molecule, such as a nucleic acid encoding CHEC-9may be inserted into a plasmid vector adapted for expression in abacterial cell, such as E. coli. Such vectors comprise the regulatoryelements necessary for expression of the DNA in the host cell positionedin such a manner as to permit expression of the DNA in the host cell.Such regulatory elements required for expression include promotersequences, transcription initiation sequences and, optionally, enhancersequences.

The CHEC-9 peptide produced by gene expression in a recombinantprokaryotic or eukaryotic system may be purified according to methodsknown in the art. In a preferred embodiment, a commercially availableexpression/secretion system can be used, whereby the recombinantpeptide/protein is expressed and thereafter secreted from the host cell,and readily purified from the surrounding medium. Ifexpression/secretion vectors are not used, an alternative approachinvolves purifying the recombinant protein by affinity separation, suchas by immunological interaction with antibodies that bind specificallyto the recombinant protein or nickel columns for isolation ofrecombinant proteins tagged with 6-8 histidine residues at theirN-terminus or C-terminus. Alternative tags may comprise the FLAG epitopeor the hemagglutinin epitope. Such methods are commonly used by skilledpractitioners.

The human CHEC-9 peptide and functional homologs or variants thereof,prepared by the aforementioned methods, may be analyzed according tostandard procedures. For example, such proteins may be subjected toamino acid sequence analysis, according to known methods. One suchpeptide variant which also has neuron protective activity is the peptidehaving the sequence CAHAQAESC.

The CHEC-9 peptide may be oxidized (cyclized), or akylated (lineraized).

Antibodies:

The present invention also provides antibodies capable ofimmunospecifically binding to peptides of the invention. Polyclonalantibodies directed toward CHEC-9 peptide may be prepared according tostandard methods. In a preferred embodiment, monoclonal antibodies areprepared, which react immunospecifically with CHEC-9 peptide.

Polyclonal and/or monoclonal antibodies may be prepared as described inseveral laboratory protocol handbooks, and scholarly journals including:Köhler and Milstein, Nature, 256: 495-7 (1975); Molecular Cloning: ALaboratory Manual, Sambrook et al. eds., Cold Spring Harbor LaboratoryPress (1989); Ausubel et al. (supra), and Antibodies: A LaboratoryManual, Harlow and Lane eds., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press(1988).

Polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies that immunospecifically interactwith CHEC-9 peptide may be utilized for identifying and purifying CHEC-9peptide. For example, antibodies may be utilized for affinity separationof peptides with which they immunospecifically interact. Antibodies mayalso be used to immunoprecipitate peptides from a sample containing amixture of peptides/proteins and other biological molecules. Other usesof anti-CHEC-9 peptide antibodies are described below.

Antibodies according to the present invention may be modified in anumber of ways. Indeed the term “antibody” should be construed ascovering any binding substance having a binding domain with the requiredspecificity. Thus, the invention covers antibody fragments, derivatives,functional equivalents and homologues of antibodies, including syntheticmolecules and molecules whose shape mimics that of an antibody enablingit to bind an antigen or epitope.

Exemplary antibody fragments, capable of binding an antigen or otherbinding partner, are Fab fragment consisting of the VL, VH, C1 and CH1domains; the Fd fragment consisting of the VH and CH1 domains; the Fvfragment consisting of the VL and VH domains of a single arm of anantibody; the dAb fragment which consists of a VH domain; isolated CDRregions and F(ab′)2 fragments, a bivalent fragment including two Fabfragments linked by a disulphide bridge at the hinge region. Singlechain Fv fragments are also included.

II. Uses of CHEC-9-Encoding Nucleic Acids, CHEC-9 Proteins andAntibodies Thereto

CHEC-9-Encoding Nucleic Acids:

CHEC-9-encoding nucleic acids may be used for a variety of purposes inaccordance with the present invention. CHEC-9-encoding DNA, RNA, orfragments thereof may be used as probes to detect the presence of and/orexpression of nucleic acids encoding CHEC-9 peptides. Methods in whichCHEC-9-encoding nucleic acids may be utilized as probes for such assaysinclude, but are not limited to: (1) in situ hybridization; (2) Southernhybridization (3) northern hybridization; and (4) assorted amplificationreactions such as polymerase chain reactions (PCR). Thus,CHEC-9-encoding nucleic acids of the present invention may be used fordetecting CHEC-9 in vitro or in vivo.

Additionally, the nucleic acids of the invention may be used to identifygenes encoding proteins that interact with CHEC-9 peptides (e.g., by the“interaction trap” technique).

The CHEC-9 nucleic acids of the invention may be introduced into hostcells. In a preferred embodiment, mammalian cell lines are providedwhich comprise a CHEC-9-encoding nucleic acid or a variant thereof. Hostcells contemplated for use include, but are not limited to NIH3T3, CHO,HELA, yeast, bacteria, insect and plant cells. The CHEC-9 encodingnucleic acids may be operably linked to appropriate regulatoryexpression elements suitable for the particular host cell to beutilized. Methods for introducing nucleic acids into host cells are wellknown in the art. Such methods include, but are not limited to,transfection, transformation, calcium phosphate precipitation,electroporation and lipofection.

The host cells described above may be used as screening tools toidentify compounds that modulate CHEC-9 expression and/or activity.Modulation of CHEC-9 expression and/or activity may be assessed bymeasuring alterations in CHEC-9 mRNA or peptide levels in the presenceof the test compound.

As described above, CHEC-9-encoding nucleic acids are also used toadvantage to produce large quantities of substantially pure CHEC-9peptides, or selected portions thereof.

CHEC-9 Peptide:

It has been discovered that CHEC-9 promotes survival of neural cells invitro and in vivo, and inhibits phospholipase A2. Thus, peptide CHEC-9and pharmaceutical preparations comprising the same have broad utilityin the treatment of neuron damage, neurodegenerative disease, anddisorders with an inflammatory component. The uses of these materialsdescribed hereinbelow are intended to exemplify their utility, and arenot intended to limit the invention.

Such neurodegenerative diseases and disorders include, but are notlimited to (1) trauma, (2) stroke, (3) nonspecific anoxia (i.e., anoxiadue to drowning, suffocation, etc.), (4) neurodegenerative diseases suchas Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and amyotrophic lateralsclerosis (ALS); and (5) mental retardation syndromes associated withprogressive neuronal degeneration (e.g., cerebral palsies).

Disorders with an inflammatory component include, but are not limitedto, (1) asthma; (2) autoimmune disorders; (3) allergies; (4) arthritis;and (5) any disorder which might benefit from treatment using a steroidor a phospholipase A2 inhibitor.

A pharmaceutical preparation of CHEC-9 is formulated for administrationto patients by combining the peptide with a biologically acceptablemedium, such as water, buffered saline, or osmotically-adjusted mediasuch as polyol (e.g., glycerol, propylene glycol, liquid polyethyleneglycol and the like) or suitable mixtures thereof. The term“biologically acceptable medium” includes all solvents, dispersion mediaand similar components which may be appropriate for the selected routeof administration of the pharmaceutical preparation. The use of suchbiologically acceptable media for pharmaceutical preparations is wellknown in the art. Unless a conventional medium or agent is incompatiblewith the active ingredient of CHEC-9, its use in the pharmaceuticalpreparation of the invention is contemplated.

The pharmaceutical preparation is preferably administered parenterally,by introduction into the central nervous system of the patient. This maybe accomplished by intracerebroventricular infusion targeted to thelocation of neuron damage. Other methods, such as systemicadministration via an i.v. may also be utilized to administer apharmaceutical preparation containing CHEC-9. Administration may be byany method that allows CHEC-9 to cross the blood/brain barrier, eitheralone or linked to a carrier, including injection into the bloodstream,subcutaneous or intramuscular injection, as well as oral, intranasal,rectal and ophthalmic administration. In a preferred embodiment,solutions comprising CHEC-9 may be injected subcutaneously.

CHEC-9 peptide may be administered topically or transdermally, such asin a cream, salve, spray, ointment, or dermal patch.

Alternatively, CHEC-9 peptides are incorporated into a solid matrix,which can be implanted into regions of the nervous system/brainrequiring treatment. For example, a pre-determined concentration ofCHEC-9 may be mixed in equal parts with a 2% sodium alginate medium, andentrapped in the resulting gel matrix. The sodium alginate gel ispolymerized in the form of small beads by dropping the gel into a 0.5 MCaCl2 solution. Other solid or semi-solid biologically compatiblematrices are also contemplated for use in the present invention. Theseinclude various natural bio-polymers, such as xanthan and carob gums(See Mugnier et al., Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 50: 108-14 (1985).

The pharmaceutical preparation comprising CHEC-9 is advantageouslyformulated in dosage units, which is defined herein as a discrete unitof the pharmaceutical preparation appropriate for the patient undergoingtreatment. As used herein, the term “patient” refers to humans andanimals. A dosage will contain the quantity of active ingredientdetermined to produce the desired therapeutic effect in conjunction withthe selected pharmaceutical carrier.

The appropriate dosage of a pharmaceutical preparation comprising CHEC-9as the active ingredient may be determined by in vitro and in vivoprocedures. The optimum effective concentration of CHEC-9 is dependentupon the type of neuron being treated and the protocol and source usedfor purification. Therefore, once the target neuron population has beenidentified, the optimum effective concentration of CHEC-9 may bedetermined by an in vitro assay. For example, a selected neuronpopulation may be grown in culture for 2-4 days in defined serum-freemedium. Pre-determined concentrations of CHEC-9 in an appropriatebiological medium is then added to the culture dishes every 24 hours.After the incubation period, neurons and dendrites may be identified byimmunocytochemically, e.g., with an antibody against a neuron-specificmarker, such as MAP2. Neuron survival and neurite outgrowth is thendetermined. By comparing the effect of each concentration of CHEC-9 onneurite outgrowth and neuron survival, an optimum concentration for thespecific neuron population is determined.

After the optimum in vitro concentration of CHEC-9 has been determinedfor a specific neuron population, an appropriate dosage may be deducedby an in vivo assay on laboratory animals, such as rats. An equivalentlesion in a primate or human would damage approximately 15-fold morecortical tissue. The area of brain damage is determined by standardimaging techniques, e.g., MRI. Therefore, that lesion cavity must betreated with an approximately 15-fold greater amount of the factor.

CHEC-9 may be administered in any effective dosage amount determined asset forth above. An exemplary dose is a subcutaneous administration of50-500 μg/kg of CHEC-9 peptide. This dose may be administeredimmediately after, within 1 hour, 2 hours, 12 hours, or 1 day of acuteinjury, or periodically in the case of a chronic condition.

A pharmaceutical preparation containing CHEC-9 may be administered as aone-time dosage for cases of acute anoxia or trauma, or it may beadministered at appropriate intervals in the case of chronicdegenerative disease, until the symptoms of the disease are reduced oreliminated. The appropriate interval of administration of thepharmaceutical preparation will depend on the type of neuron damagebeing treated and the condition of the patient.

The CHEC-9 peptide of the invention may be administered in linear orcyclized form. Additionally, the CHEC-9 peptide of the invention may beadministered in combination with another therapeutic agent, such as asteroid, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), etc.

CHEC-9 Antibodies:

Purified CHEC-9 peptide, or fragments thereof, may be used to producepolyclonal or monoclonal antibodies which also may serve as sensitivedetection reagents for the presence and accumulation of CHEC-9 peptide(or complexes containing CHEC-9 peptide) in mammalian cells or bodyfluids. Recombinant techniques enable expression of fusion proteinscontaining part or all of CHEC-9 peptide. The peptide may be used toadvantage to generate an array of monoclonal antibodies specific forCHEC-9, thereby providing even greater sensitivity for detection ofCHEC-9 in cells or body fluids.

Polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies immunologically specific for CHEC-9peptide may be used in a variety of assays designed to detect andquantitate the peptide. Such assays include, but are not limited to: (1)flow cytometric analysis; (2) immunochemical detection/localization ofCHEC-9 peptide; and (3) immunoblot analysis (e.g., dot blot, Westernblot) of extracts from various cells. Additionally, as described above,anti-CHEC-9 antibodies can be used for purification of CHEC-9 peptideand any associated subunits (e.g., affinity column purification,immunoprecipitation).

Kits for Performing the Disclosed Methods:

In one broad aspect, the present invention encompasses kits for use inadministering CHEC-9. Such a kit may comprise a CHEC-9 peptide in apharmaceutically acceptable excipient, such as artificial cerebralspinal fluid. The kit may also comprise devices which facilitateadministration of the peptide, such as catheters and syringes.

Further details regarding the practice of this invention are set forthin the following examples, which are provided for illustrative purposesonly and are in no way intended to limit the invention. The followingmaterials and methods are provided to facilitate the practice of thepresent invention.

Example I Survival of Neural Cells is Supported by CHEC-9

A thirty amino acid N-terminal fragment of DSEP called Y-P30, wasoriginally purified from the culture medium of neural cell lines exposedto hydrogen peroxide. Y-P30 promotes neuron survival and inhibits theappearance and differentiation of monocyte derivatives(macrophages/microglia) in vitro and in vivo, including after systemicadministration (Cunningham, T J et al., 1998; Cunningham, T. J., et al.,2000). The cDNA and the gene location for full length human DSEP havebeen identified and encode a 12 kD secreted polypeptide. When thefull-length human protein is expressed in either mouse or human neuralcells, these cells become resistant to a variety of toxic treatments,including immune cell attack in xenocultures and in vivo (Cunningham TJ, et al., in press).

Based on the Y-P30 experiments, it was concluded that the survival andimmune evasion activities of DSEP could be accomplished for the mostpart by the N terminal 30 amino acids. However, the sequence of thesecreted form of the native peptide differs from Y-P30 in that thelatter was made with cysteines at both positions 15 and 23 while thenative molecule contains only one cysteine at position 15 (with a lysineat position 23). In ongoing studies of biologically active forms ofY-P30, it was found that crosslinking the cysteines confers greatersurvival-promoting activity in vitro than a similar 30 amino acidfragment made without the K to C substitution, or a scrambled peptidewhere the amino acids (including those between the two cysteines) wereout of order. The K to C substitution therefore stabilizes an activeconformation of DSEP by allowing the formation of an intramoleculardisulphide bond. Therefore this part of the Y-P30 sequence—CHEASAAQC,designated herein as CHEC-9, was tested for DSEP/Y-P30-like activity.

Synthesis of Peptides.

Peptide synthesis was performed at the Protein Chemistry Laboratory inthe Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine University ofPennsylvania. The peptides were HPLC purified on a C18 column, dried,reconstituted in water and dried again. Peptide stock solutions (200-250μg/ml, 218-273 μM) were prepared in 50 mM tris pH=7.4 or DMEM andincubated at room temperature overnight or for 2 hrs at 37°. Freesulphydryls were measured using Ellman's reagent (DTNB, 0.04 mg/ml) in0.1M NaH₂PO₄, 20 mM EDTA, pH=8 by mixing 25 μl sample with 275 μlreaction buffer. Absorbance of these samples was measured at 450 nm witha 808-x1 microplate reader (Biotek Instruments), and was at backgroundlevels after cross-linking. In addition, the formation of intramoleculardisulphide bond in selected samples was verified by determining theexact molecular mass of the unfolded versus folded peptides usingelectrospray mass spectrometry (LC-ZQ Mass Spectrometer, Waters)

CHEC-9 Protects Neural Cells Subjected to Stress in vitro

Various concentrations of CHEC-9 were tested in a stress test consistingof medium change followed by serum deprivation (see Cunningham, et al.,2000, 2002). The CHEC-9 molecule was found to rescue cells when used atconcentrations of 0.1 and 0.01 μM (10-100 picomolar). Optimal activityof the peptide was achieved after pre-incubation (250 nM) with 10 mMadenosine triphosphate (Na-ATP) in a reaction mixture containing 120 mMKCl, 1 mM CaCl₂, 25 mM NaCl, and 25 mM tris (pH=7.4). This mixture wasdiluted in culture medium and then added to the stressed cells at theappropriate active picomolar concentrations. Vehicle treatment consistedof incubation buffer without the peptide at the appropriate dilutions.Cell survival is measured by either counting surviving attached cellsor, as shown in FIG. 1, by colormetric determination after applying anelectrocoupling reagent that responds to chemical reactions in normalcellular respiration. The number of neurons protected in the cultures isestimated to be between 3 and 10 fold, depending on the length of serumdeprivation and the starting concentration of cells.

CHEC-9 Protects Cerebral Cortex Neurons after Cortical Stab Wounds inRats

Stab wounds were administered to the rostral cortical area 3 of theexposed cerebral cortex (with dura intact) of rats, using a dissectingknife (blade=1×2 mm). The wound typically produces a significant localinflammatory response, disruption of the functional layers of thecortex, and marked atrophy and degeneration of neurons (FIG. 2, leftpanel). The principal immune cells involved in the inflammatory responseare macrophages and microglia (FIG. 2, inset). Subcutaneous injection ofCHEC-9 (0.4 mg/Kg bilaterally in the skin of the shoulder), 20 min afterthe placing of the wound, results in a significant anatomical sparing ofthe perilesion parenchyma, as well as a more restricted inflammatoryresponse (FIG. 2, right panel).

Activation of Microglia Cells is Inhibited by CHEC-9

Microglia cells were purified from neonatal rats according toestablished procedures and allowed to develop for an additional 72-96hrs in vitro, after which the cells are found to be 90-98% ED-1+. ED-1is a marker specific for rat microglia. Contaminating cells are GFAF+(suggesting they are astrocytes) or unreactive. TNFα immunoreactivity isat moderate to low levels in these cultures. If, however, the cells areactivated with 100 nM retinoic acid on days 1 and 2 in vitro andexamined on day 3 or 4, the ED-1 positive microglia cells displayrounded morphology with small or blunt processes suggesting that thecells are transformed into amoeboid microglia. (sometimes referred to asbrain macrophages, Milligan, et al 1991a;b). TNFα immunoreactivity ismore intense in these cultures. These same morphological changes havebeen described in several studies of microglial activation in vitro(e.g., Siao and Tsirka, 2002; Bothatschek, 2001). When the microglia aretreated with 1 nM CHEC-9 during the period of activation by RA (30 minafter the RA treatment), the cells in the CHEC-9 treated cultures are onaverage smaller with distinct processes suggesting the transformation tothe activated amoeboid morphology is inhibited (data not shown).Likewise, TNFα immunostaining in the cells is reduced. An experimentwith eight RA treated cultures is shown in FIG. 3. The 4 cultures in theright panels were also treated with 1 nM CHEC-9 peptide.

CHEC-9 Protects Neural Cells and Inhibits Inflammation

Animals, Surgery, and histology.

All animal procedures were in compliance with the relevant laws andinstitutional guidelines, and were approved by Animal Care and UseCommitteee of Drexel University College of Medicine. The lesion studieswere conducted on 15 long evans hooded rats weighing 225-275 g. Twelveof these rats were deeply anesthetized with ketamine/xylazine and placedin a sterotaxic holder. A 4×2 mm (rostrocaudal×mediolateral) skullopening was made on the right side starting just behind the coronalsuture and centered at a mediolateral position of +2.5 mm relative tobregma. A dissecting knife was penetrated through the dura and cortex inthe center of this skull opening to a depth of 1 mm. The skull defectwas filled with bone wax, the skin sutured closed, and the animal placedon a heating pad. Twenty minutes later, 0.4 cc of solution containing100 μg of peptide (˜0.4 mg/kg, 6 rats) or DMEM vehicle (6 rats) wasinjected under the skin of the shoulder near the midline. The rats wereperfused 4 days later and their brains processed for histology andimmunohistochemistry as in previous studies. Three rats were sacrificedwithout surgery or treatment. Alternate coronal sections of these brainswere stained with cresyl violet acetate and immunostained with the TUJ1antibody to neuronal specific tublin, isotype III (Covance ResearchProducts) or monocyte marker ED-1 Serotec. Secondary antibodies wereFITC or Rhodamine conjugated (Jackson Immunolabs). The density of ED-1+ameboid microglia in the perilesion parencyma wound was calculated afterexperimentally blinded counting of 4 fields (dorsal and ventral marginsof the wound) in 2 sections through the lesion.

Discussion

Four days following perfusion, there were no obvious behavioraldifferences between the treated and untreated groups. Both displayednormal locomotor activity and were alert and responsive to orientingstimuli. Cresyl violet-stained sections through the brains of controlrats revealed pronounced neuronal degeneration and accumulation of largenumbers inflammatory cells in the wound and in the parenchymasurrounding the wound. Immunostaining with the cell specific marker ED-1showed that many of these cells were macrophages and microglia. Themicroglia were activated and thus predominantly of the round ameboidtype. The cortical layers that are usually obvious in somatosensory area2 (where the laminae are distinctive) were no longer apparent because ofthe invasion of these nonneuronal cells, and because of the frankdegeneration of the neurons. In rats injected with CHEC-9 both thedisruption of the cerebral cortex and accumulation of inflammatory cellsin the parechyma was inhibited. This effect was striking and apparent inall the rats treated with the peptide. The most obvious difference foundafter CHEC-9 treatment was the sparing of the cortical tissue adjacentto the wound in area 2. Granular and pyramidal neurons appeared of nearnormal size and distribution, and as a result, the cortical layers alsoappeared normal. In addition, rounded ED-1 positive cells weresignificantly reduced in the cortex. There were ED-1 reactive profilesscattered in the tissue near the lesion after CHEC-9 treatment, but thevast majority of these appeared to be processes of small, ramifiedcells, which is the morphology of nonactivated or “resting” microglia.

Example II CHEC-9 is a Potent Phospholipase A2 Inhibitor, and AlsoInhibits Platelet Aggregation Measurement of PLA2, Platelet Activity.

Trunk blood was collected from 16 additional Long Evans and SpragueDawley rats of both sexes following decapitation. Fourteen of these ratswere paired according to strain, sex, and weight and injected with acontrol peptide/vehicle or with CHEC-9 forty-five minutes prior tosacrifice. Phospholipase A2 activity was determined in 10 rats andplatelets were isolated from the remaining 6 animals.

Serum samples and purified bee venom phospholipase were tested for PLA2activity using a 1,2-bis(heptanoylthio)glycerophosphocholine substrate(Caymen Chemical) which produces a DTNB reactive sulfhydryl uponcleavage of phospholipids at the at the sn-2 position (target of allPLA2 enzymes). DTNB reactivity with serum, peptides, or PLA2 at theconcentrations used in these experiments was not detectable in theabsence of substrate (or vice versa). This substrate is sometimespreferred for inhibitor studies since with more natural substrates thereis the possibility for interfacial disruptions rather than trueinhibition (Mihelich E D, et al., 1997). All reactions were conducted intriplicate or quadruplicate in microwells at 25° with substrateconcentrations of 50-500 μM. The measurements were made on an ELX 808reader (Biotek Instruments) programmable for kinetic studies, andfurther analysis was performed using nonlinear regression software fromGraphpad which fit the data to a hyperbola (one site binding) fordetermining Vmax and Kd. For experiments with bee venom, CHEC-9, controlpeptides or tris solvent was mixed with equimolar sPLA2 and incubated at37° for 30 min. Platelets were isolated from whole blood treated with1.5 mM EDTA after gradient centrifugation in a 22:5 mixture of Trisglycine buffer and 60% iodixanol (OptiPrep, Axis Shield). The plateletswere washed twice in Hanks balanced salt solution. Peptide was added inthe second wash if the animal was untreated, and after an additional 20min, the medium was collected and dialyzed overnight. Rates ofaggregation of the platelets were then determined in response toindicated concentrations of PMA in HBSS by the method of Bednar, et al,(1995) in which the absolute value of the rate of change of A₆₅₀ isproportional to rate of aggregation. The dialyzed supernatants weredried resuspended in SDS sample buffer and electrophoresed underreducing and non reducing conditions. Western blots were prepared as inprevious studies using a polyclonal antibody to sPLA2 IIa (CaymenChemical) that is reactive with rats platelet PLA2. Nonparametricstatistical analysis (Mann Whitney) was used throughout the study.

Discussion

Once its survival-promoting properties were recognized, CHEC-9 wasscreened in several enzymatic and nonenzymatic assays related to cellsurvival and immunomodulation. In one of these, the peptide was found toinhibit activity of a secreted phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) derived from beevenom. In these experiments, 70 nM of bee venom sPLA2 was reacted with50 μM of a glycerophosphocholine substrate in the presence of variousconcentrations of CHEC-9 (FIG. 5A). The velocity of the reaction wasmeasured and found to be reduced significantly by CHEC-9 atconcentrations of 100 nM and above. Next, the PLA2 enzyme activity ofserum from peptide and control-injected rats was compared in this sameassay after treating the rats according to the regimen used in thelesion studies. Rat serum shows significant phospholipase A2 activitythat appears to follow Michaelis-Menten kinetics, at least in the rangeof serum and substrate concentrations used in these experiments. Therewas inhibition of the serum PLA2 activity in rats injected with CHEC-9.FIG. 5B shows representative Michaelis-Menten plots usingpeptide-treated and control sera, including serum of rats treated with ascrambled version of the CHEC-9 peptide. In the latter experiments, itwas found that simply inverting the order of the glutamate and thealanine (that is E3-A4 to A3-E4) was sufficient to eliminate theinhibitory activity of CHEC-9. Analysis of kinetic plots fromCHEC-9-treated and control rats showed that the peptide, on average,reduced the maximum velocity of the reaction, however this effect wasvariable and not statistically significant (Vmax CHEC-9=70.3+7.4%, ofcontrols, p=0.132 n=6). The Kd of the reaction was increased in allpeptide treated rats, as much as 6-fold, and the difference betweenpeptide and control-treated rats was very significant (KdCHEC-9=313%+68% of controls, p=0.0087, n=6). These experiments provideevidence that the basis for the peptide's inhibition of PLA2 activity inserum is a reduction in the affinity of the enzyme(s) for substrateafter treatment.

Platelet activation is a PLA2-related activity and is also affected byCHEC-9 treatment. When platelets are isolated from the blood and thenwashed, they become activated and begin to aggregate spontaneously. Itwas observed that this spontaneous aggregation was inhibited by priortreatment with CHEC-9, either using platelets from peptide-injected ratsor after direct treatment of isolated platelets with 0.1 nM CHEC-9 (datanot shown). If the platelets are then treated withphorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) and agitated, platelet aggregationproceeds at a brisk rate for at least the next 5-30 min, and can bemonitored spectrophotometrically. This response is also inhibited forplatelets treated with CHEC-9 directly or by injections into rats priorto isolation (FIG. 5C). PMA is suggested to induce platelet activationin concert with mobilization of intracellular calcium by stimulatingphosphorylation of cytosolic PLA2 (McNicol A, et al., 1998). It istherefore possible that the peptide effects cytoplasmic PLA2 directly,or indirectly through inhibition of secreted PLA2 enzymes which arereleased from activated platelets (Han W K, et al., 2003; Balboa M A, etal., 2003).

While there are likely to be several PLA2 isoforms present in serum, ratplatelet sPLA2 (sPLA2 IIa) appears to be abundant in rat serum (MihelichE D, et al., 1997; Hayakawa M, et al. 1987). The release of sPLA2 (IIa)from washed platelets was confirmed by Western blots of plateletsupernatants. Interestingly, the sPLA (IIa) released by plateletstreated with CHEC-9 (either in the rat or in vitro) produced atypicalbands on Western blots, migrating in SDS gels (under reducingconditions) with apparent molecular weights greater than the expected 14kD (FIG. 5D). The most prominent sPLA2 immunoreactive bands after CHEC-9treatment migrated above 40 kD, while control rats always showed a 14 kDband, and rarely showed higher molecular weight species. The finalposition of the sPLA2 bands after CHEC-9 treatment was variable fromsample to sample. However, the expected 14 kD species was not observedin CHEC-9 peptide-treated samples, suggesting that treatment hadmodified the enzyme structure and/or promoted the formation ofstabilized enzyme complexes or aggregates. Such aggregates might have alower affinity for substrate which would explain the kinetic differencesin PLA2 reactions found in peptide-treated rats.

Fatty acids, phospholipids, and other lipid mediators of inflammationare increased following brain damage and in neurodegenerative diseases,and much of this increase results from phospholipase A2 activity (LiptonP., 1999; Bazan N G, et al., 2002; Lukiw W J, et al., 2000). Theseproducts of lipid metabolism, along with the coordinated activity ofcytokines and other mediators, contribute significantly to inflammation,and therefore also contribute significantly to neuron death, either thatwhich is observed after acute lesions to the CNS, or that found in manyprogressive neurodegenerative diseases. In addition, there are numerousexamples of cross talk between lipid and cytokine mediated inflammatoryresponses that may amplify these responses especially in the earlystages of inflammation (Thommesen L, et al., 1998; Beck S, et al.,2003). Finally, the breakdown of phospholipids by PLA2 enzymes producesmajor changes in membrane function and signaling properties, and leadsto increases in free fatty acid production and therefore free radicalformation. All these changes are also potentially damaging to neuronsand most other cell types.

These experiments indicate that CHEC-9 is effective to treat both acuteand chronic neurodegenerative and inflammatory conditions. The peptide'seffects on other participants in PLA2-arachidonic acid pathway may proveinteresting because many of these are the targets of potential drugtherapies for inflammatory disorders in and outside the nervous system.On the other hand, one advantage of upstream inhibition of PLA2,presumably also an advantage for corticosteroids, is that upstreaminhibition eliminates the contribution of downstream functionallyredundant products or other participants in PLA2-directed metabolism,which may overcome the effects of drugs targeted downstream to morespecific elements in these pathways.

Example III Anti-Y-P30 Antibody Produces Increase in Cortical LesionSize and Sera Toxicity

This example demonstrates that there is a DSEP-like polypeptide in therat brain that cross-reacts with affinity-purified polyclonal anti-humanDSEP antibodies (FIG. 6). Rats were immunized with the N terminalpeptide of human DSEP (Y-P30) conjugated to Keyhole Limpet Hemocyanin(KLH). Reactivity of their sera to DSEP was confirmed by Western blotsand ELISA. Small cortical lesions were produced in the immunized rats.When the rats were sacrificed the extent of damage from the lesion, andthe response of macrophages/microglia was tested. Additionally, ratantiserum was tested in a cell viability assay. It was found that DSEPimmunized rats have exaggerated cortical lesions and increasedcytotoxicity of their sera.

Immunizations, Surgery, Adverse Reactions.

Injections and boosts were subcutaneous, bilaterally in the shoulderover a period of 1.5 months. Control rats were immunized against KLHonly. Serum titers of DSEP specific antibodies were measured by ELISA.At the time of sacrifice, titers of the rats used in this study were atleast 1:1000 measured in multiple samples (data not shown). In addition,when DSEP antisera were tested in a cell killing assay they were foundto be consistently more effective than KLH antisera (see below). Datawas collected from 36 rats, 30 of which had small lesions of corticalarea 2 near the area 2/3 border. The lesion is produced by stereotaxicpositioning of a guide, opening the dura, and placing a 1 mm³ piece ofgelfoam on the cortical surface with light pressure. Fifteen of theserats were immunized against DSEP-KLH and 15 against KLH alone. Nine ratsfrom each group were sacrificed 7 days after surgery and 6 weresacrificed after 4 days. Four immunized rats (2 from each group) weresacrificed without surgery and two rats were normal. There were noapparent adverse reactions to the immunizations in either group. Grossbehavior of all rats was similar. There was no evidence of increasedinflammatory reactions peripherally or, after sacrifice, in the CNS ofimmunized rats without surgery.

Lesion Volumes and ED1 Immunoreactivity

Four and 7 days following surgery, lesion volumes in anti-KLH rats werein a range that was consistent with parallel studies. The differences inlesion sizes were not statistically significant in rats surviving for 4days (FIG. 6B). However at 7 days following surgery, lesion volumes inrats immunized against DSEP were more than 3-fold larger (FIG. 6A, 6B).The macrophage/microglial response to these lesions was examined after 7days. As might be expected because of the larger lesions, the anti-DSEPrats had an exaggerated appearance of ED1+ cells at the margins of thelesion and in surviving deep white matter tracts surrounding the lesion(not shown).

Cell Viability Assay.

The antisera from rats immunized with DSEP-KLH were cytotoxic to bothHN33.1 and SY5Y cells. Anti-sera from 10 out of the 15 rats in eachgroup was tested at a 1:20 dilution. In all cases, the anti-DSEP serawere clearly more toxic to the cells than the control sera (FIG. 6C).During the first 24 hrs following treatment, sera from both groupscaused an apparent injury response and scattered degenerated cells,possibly due to complement-mediated mechanisms. Heating the sera for 30or 60 min at 55° to destroy complement had variable effects on thecultures but tended to improve this initial response. By 48-72 hrs thecells treated with anti-KLH sera had mostly recovered while the cellstreated with the anti-DSEP were degenerated completely.

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While certain of the preferred embodiments of the present invention havebeen described and specifically exemplified above, it is not intendedthat the invention be limited to such embodiments. Various modificationsmay be made thereto without departing from the scope and spirit of thepresent invention, as set forth in the following claims.

1.-3. (canceled)
 4. A method for treating a patient having aneurodegenerative disorder, or disorder with an inflammatory componentcomprising administering to said patient a therapeutically effectiveamount of a CHEC-9 peptide.
 5. The method of claim 4, wherein saidneurodegenerative disorder is selected from the group consisting oftrauma, stroke, nonspecific anoxia, mental retardation syndromesassociated with progressive neuronal degeneration, and aneurodegenerative disease.
 6. The method of claim 5, wherein saidneurodegenerative disease is selected from the group consisting ofAlzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateralsclerosis (ALS).
 7. The method of claim 4, wherein said disorder with aninflammatory component is selected from the group consisting of asthma,autoimmune disease, and allergies. 8.-10. (canceled)
 11. The method ofclaim 4, wherein the CHEC-9 peptide is encoded in an isolated nucleicacid molecule.
 12. (canceled)
 13. The method of claim 4, wherein thenucleic acid molecule is in a plasmid.
 14. The method of claim 4,wherein nucleic acid molecule is in a vector.
 15. The method of claim 4,wherein the vector is a retroviral vector. 16.-24. (canceled)